For several years, NNORC has offered the CarFit program and the response has been amazing. CarFit is an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them. The program also provides information and materials on community-specific resources that could enhance their safety as drivers, and/or increase their mobility in the community.
Older drivers are more likely to wear their seatbelts, and less likely to speed or drink and drive. However, older drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when a crash does occur due to the greater fragility of their aging bodies. While driver safety programs help protect older drivers by addressing cognitive abilities and skills, older drivers can also improve their safety by ensuring their cars are properly adjusted for them. A proper fit in one’s car can greatly increase not only the driver’s safety but also the well-being of others.
This fall we will once again offer CarFit. The program will take place on Thursday, October 4 from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. in the parking lot of St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church (440 Whitehall Rd, Albany). Trained screeners will help you fit better in your car, with the ultimate goal of helping you reduce the potential for injuries or crashes. This program is led by Roger Dames, who serves as the Driver Fitness Center Coordinator at Colonie Senior Services.
The evaluation takes 30 minutes while you are seated in your car. The screening looks at various factors including safety belt use, steering wheel tilt, head rest setting, body positioning to air bag, line of sight over steering wheel, body positioning to accelerator and brake pedals and mirror adjustment. Appointments are required, so please call the NNORC at 518-514-2023 to make your appointment.
NNORC Presents… CAR FIT: Keeping Seniors Safe Behind the Wheel
For several years, NNORC has offered the CarFit program and the response has been amazing. CarFit is an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them. The program also provides information and materials on community-specific resources that could enhance their safety as drivers, and/or increase their mobility in the community. Trained screeners will help you fit better in your car, with the ultimate goal of helping you reduce the potential for injuries or car crashes. This program is led by Roger Danes, who serves as the Driver Fitness Center Coordinator at Colonie Senior Services. The evaluation takes only 30 minutes while you are seated in your car. The screening looks at various factors including safety belt use, steering wheel tilt, head rest setting, body positioning to air bag, line of sight over steering wheel, body positioning to gas and brake pedals and mirror adjustment.
DATE: Tuesday, October 3, 2017
TIME: 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
PLACE: St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church parking lot (440 Whitehall Rd., Albany)
RSVP: Appointments are required, so please call NNORC at 518-514-2023 to register
CarFit: Keeping Seniors Safe Behind the Wheel
Older drivers are more likely to wear their seat belts, and less likely to speed or drink and drive. However older drivers are more likely to be killed or seriously injured when a crash does occur due to the greater fragility of their aging bodies. While driver safety programs improve safety for older drivers by addressing cognitive abilities and skills, older drivers can also improve their safety by ensuring their cars are properly adjusted for them. A proper fit in one’s car can greatly increase not only the driver’s safety, but also the safety of others.
For several years, NNORC has offered the CarFit program and the positive response has been amazing. CarFit is an educational program that offers older adults the opportunity to check how well their personal vehicles “fit” them. The program also provides information and materials on community specific resources that could enhance their safety as drivers, and/or increase their mobility in the community. The evaluation takes only 30 minutes while you are seated in your car. The screening looks at various factors including safety belt use, steering wheel tilt, head rest setting, body positioning, to gas and break pedals and mirror adjustment.
This program is sponsored by the Colonie Senior Service Center-Driver Fitness Center.
WHEN: Thursday, November 10, 2016, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
WHERE: St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church (440 Whitehall Rd, Albany)
RSVP: Appointments required. Please call NNORC to schedule your time: 514-2023
Albany NNORC Teams with CarFit to Keep Seniors Safe Behind the Wheel
CarFit is a free educational program designed to help mature drivers find out how well they “fit” with their vehicle. This screening directly benefits seniors who, due to changes in vision, flexibility, strength, range of motion and even size and height, might need adjustments in their driving position to enhance their safety. A proper fit in one’s car can reduce injuries, as well as decrease the likelihood of a crash through better visibility. CarFit was developed by the American Society of Aging in collaboration with AAA, AARP and the American Occupational Therapy Association.
CarFit aims to reduce senior crashes as well as deaths and injuries that may result by reviewing each of the following:
- Safety belt use
- Steering wheel tilt
- Head restraint setting
- Body positioning to air bag
- Line of sight over steering wheel
- Body positioning to gas and brake pedals
- Mirror adjustment
- Neck mobility
- Operation of parking brake and ignition key
- Operation of other vehicle controls
An occupational therapist can suggest adaptive equipment to make you safer and more comfortable. While many of these products are readily available, the we offer additional education for proper use which is provided by trained occupational therapists.
CarFit is returning to NNORC! On Thursday, October 8 between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. NNORC will once again offer the popular CarFit program. It will take place in the parking lot of St. Sophia’s Greek Orthodox Church.
Please call the NNORC at 514-2023 to make your appointment. Appointments are expected to go quickly.
If you are looking for volunteer opportunities, consider being trained as a technician to help with the CarFit Program. Call Roger Dames at 459-2857 ext. 326 for more information. This program is sponsored by the Colonie Senior Service Center-Driver Fitness Center. Make your appointment TODAY!
JFS Sponsors CarFit Program for Senior Drivers
On a clear autumn day with the brilliance of color as our backdrop and a hint of crispness in wind, the cars started lining up in St. Sophia’s Parking Lot for our first-ever Car Fit Program. This program hosted by the JFS NNORC and sponsored by the Colonie Senior Services Center, offered clinics, in which trained CarFit technicians assessed a driver in their car to ensure that the mirrors, steering wheel, seat, etc. were at the safest and most appropriate position. Twenty-two senior drivers came through the program.
A team of twelve volunteers assessed our drivers by ensuring that the mirrors were at optimum use, the steering wheel the appropriate height and angel, the seat the proper distance from the wheel and the all-important safety belt adjusted to fit snugly and securely.
Here’s what we discovered:
- 16 folks were over age 80
- 18 needed mirror adjustments
- 16 needed seat belt correction
- 7 were given information on replacing existing cushions to ensure better vision
We are grateful to Roger Dames and his team of volunteers to help our senior drivers navigate the NNORC and beyond safely. If you missed this opportunity to be part of a CarFit day, we will schedule another assessment date in June.
For additional program offerings of the NNORC, please call 518-514-2023.